This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Lesotho. There are 60 mammal species in Lesotho, of which 0 are critically endangered, 1 is endangered, 2 are vulnerable, and 1 is near-threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:
Order: Afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles)
The order Afrosoricida contains the golden moles of southern Africa and the tenrecs of Madagascar and Africa, two families of small mammals that were traditionally part of the order Insectivora.
Family: Chrysochloridae
Subfamily: Chrysochlorinae
Genus: Chlorotalpa
Sclater's golden mole Chlorotalpa sclateri LC
Subfamily: Amblysominae
Genus: Amblysomus
Hottentot golden mole Amblysomus hottentotus LC
The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stmpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.
Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes)
Genus: Procavia
Cape hyrax Procavia capensis LC
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Parvorder: Catarrhini
Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
Genus: Papio
Chacma baboon Papio ursinus LR/lc
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).
Suborder: Hystricognathi
Family: Bathyergidae
Genus: Cryptomys
Common mole-rat Cryptomys hottentotus LC
Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
Genus: Hystrix
Cape porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis LC
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily: Xerinae
Tribe: Xerini
Genus: Xerus
South African ground squirrel Xerus inauris LC
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Subfamily: Graphiurinae
Genus: Graphiurus
Small-eared dormouse Graphiurus microtis LC
Family: Nesomyidae
Subfamily: Dendromurinae
Genus: Dendromus
Chestnut climbing mouse Dendromus mystacalis LC
Genus: Steatomys
Kreb's fat mouse Steatomys krebsii LC
Subfamily: Mystromyinae
Genus: Mystromys
White-tailed rat Mystromys albicaudatus EN
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Subfamily: Otomyinae
Genus: Otomys
Vlei rat Otomys irroratus LC
Sloggett's vlei rat Otomys sloggetti LC
Subfamily: Gerbillinae
Genus: Tatera
Highveld gerbil Tatera brantsii LC
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Aethomys
Namaqua rock rat Aethomys namaquensis LC
Genus: Mastomys
Southern multimammate mouse Mastomys coucha LC
Natal multimammate mouse Mastomys natalensis LC
Genus: Mus
Orange mouse Mus orangiae LC
Genus: Rhabdomys
Four-striped grass mouse Rhabdomys pumilio LC
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
Genus: Lepus
Cape hare Lepus capensis LR/lc
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Genus: Atelerix
Southern African hedgehog Atelerix frontalis LR/lc
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Soricidae (shrews)
Subfamily: Crocidurinae
Genus: Crocidura
Reddish-gray musk shrew Crocidura cyanea LC
Greater red musk shrew Crocidura flavescens LC
Tiny musk shrew Crocidura fuscomurina LC
Genus: Suncus
Lesser dwarf shrew Suncus varilla LC
Subfamily: Myosoricinae
Genus: Myosorex
Forest shrew Myosorex varius LC
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
Subfamily: Pteropodinae
Genus: Eidolon
Straw-coloured fruit bat Eidolon helvum LC
Genus: Rousettus
Egyptian fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus LC
Family: Vespertilionidae
Subfamily: Myotinae
Genus: Cistugo
Lesueur's hairy bat Cistugo lesueuri VU
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Eptesicus
Long-tailed house bat Eptesicus hottentotus LC
Genus: Laephotis
De Winton's long-eared bat Laephotis wintoni LC
Genus: Neoromicia
Cape serotine Neoromicia capensis LC
Genus: Scotophilus
African yellow bat Scotophilus dinganii LC
Subfamily: Miniopterinae
Genus: Miniopterus
Natal long-fingered bat Miniopterus natalensis NT
Family: Nycteridae
Genus: Nycteris
Egyptian slit-faced bat Nycteris thebaica LC
Family: Rhinolophidae
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Geoffroy's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus clivosus LC
Darling's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus darlingi LC
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae (cats)
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Acinonyx
South African cheetah Acinonyx jubatus jubatus VU
Genus: Caracal
Caracal Caracal caracal LC
Genus: Felis
Wildcat Felis silvestris LC
Genus: Leptailurus
Serval Leptailurus serval LC
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Transvaal lion Panthera leo krugeri VU
African leopard Panthera pardus pardus NT
Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
Subfamily: Viverrinae
Genus: Genetta
Cape genet Genetta tigrina LR/lc
Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
Genus: Hyaena
Brown hyena Hyaena brunnea LR/nt
Genus: Proteles
Aardwolf Proteles cristatus LR/lc
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Canis
Black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas LC
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Ictonyx
Striped polecat Ictonyx striatus LR/lc
Genus: Lutra
Speckle-throated otter Lutra maculicollis LC
Genus: Aonyx
African clawless otter Aonyx capensis LC
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
Family: Equidae (horses etc.)
Genus: Equus
Burchell's zebra Equus quagga burchellii NT
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
Genus: Alcelaphus
Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus LR/cd
Genus: Connochaetes
Black wildebeest Connochaetes gnou LC
Genus: Damaliscus
Bontebok Damaliscus pygargus LR/cd
Subfamily: Antilopinae
Genus: Oreotragus
Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus LR/cd
Genus: Ourebia
Oribi Ourebia ourebi LR/cd
Subfamily: Bovinae
Genus: Tragelaphus
Common eland Tragelaphus oryx LR/cd
Subfamily: Cephalophinae
Genus: Cephalophus
Blue duiker Cephalophus monticola LR/lc
Genus: Sylvicapra
Common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia LR/lc
Subfamily: Peleinae
Genus: Pelea
Grey rhebok Pelea capreolus LC
Subfamily: Reduncinae
Genus: Redunca
Mountain reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula LC
